Costa Mesa Woman Suffering from Disease that Keeps Her In Dark Room At All Times Needs Your Help

Time to divert your monthly tithes, drink at home instead of going out, or put off paying for something responsible for another week.

20-year-old Heidi Rose Theis of Costa Mesa, has been diagnosed with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) or Reflex Symptomatic Dystrophy (RSD), which makes her feel excruciating burning sensations all over her body and has exiled her to a dark room at all times. On her website, she describes the feeling to be like someone has covered her body in acid and pumped it through her veins. Two years ago, she was in an equestrian accident that left her with a broken leg and tailbone, and banged up her kidney. But it wasn't until several months later, when her body should've been coming around, that she started turning colors instead: Pink, red and purple, and that horrible burning.

Heidi couldn't speak with the Weekly herself, her father says, because she is constantly in a state of rest and covered head-to-toe in wet towels and ice packs to ease the burning.

Photo from Heidi's Website

Until very recently, doctors were completely dumbfounded by her condition. (Did you guys know that the medical industry is a little disorganized?) and offered no cure. But now that the Theis family know it's CRPS or RSD, they can pay for the cure--unsurprisingly, more expensive than they can afford, even with health insurance.

The Theises are trying to raise $20,000 by Sept. 23; if they can't make it by this date they will have to wait another three months to begin the treatment.

You can donate any amount on Heidi's website, and we're pretty sure she'll be eternally grateful if we can help her out of this hell.